Re: "Airdrie City council amends mask mandate, removes expiry date," article, Airdrie City View, Jan. 20, 2022
Dear editor,
“We could argue the science all night, but that’s not our place to argue the science. That’s the medical professionals that should put that information out there. Nearest I can figure, from what I’ve seen, I agree with it.”
Those were the words of Coun. Ron Chapman at the latest Airdrie City council meeting, when discussing the continuation of the municipality's mask-wearing bylaw.
Say again? Not wanting to argue the issue and using only observational data does not present reasonable grounds for amending what amounts to unlawful and unscientific medical intervention.
For the City of Airdrie to “better align with the province’s continuing mask mandate” when the province itself has failed to provide any scientific evidence is problematic. The Government of Alberta’s own website guidelines for COVID-19 mask requirements offer only assertions that masks are somewhat effective but nonetheless required…and they haven’t responded to requests for information.
To either ignore or dismiss comparative and peer reviewed studies that prove the ineffectiveness of (or harm caused by) masks without consideration or debate is medical malpractice and political malfeasance. There are also many studies funded by special interest experts that claim only marginal benefits yet even the Centre for Disease Control's (CDC) see-sawing reasoning for masking is based on ‘observational’ studies rather than randomized control studies.
It’s clear that Alberta Health Services (AHS) is aligning itself with see-sawing CDC observational evidence. The primary health concerns of masking are that masks act as breathing barriers, and bacterial and carbon dioxide traps. Viral pneumonia anyone? Viral particles are about 0.1 micrometers in diameter compared to the holes in any woven material that can be five to 200 micrometers in diameter.
Even Aerosol droplet science cannot definitively confirm that masks currently being mandated can filter out a virus. A recent study of over 300,000 subjects found evidence that masks reduced transmission in the community. However, surgical masks can vary greatly in quality and fit, which may make these studies less useful. The manufacture and materials used in the production of non-surgical masks are also highly variable.
The material most commonly used to make blue surgical masks is thermoplastic polypropylene and other petrochemical derivatives. Some literature from surgical mask manufacturers has shown that surgical masks sometimes contain formaldehyde, bronopol, tuloene, teflon, PTFEs, dibromodicyanobutane, and, at times, graphene oxide...and numerous other carcinogenic materials. Combine high heat welding during manufacturing, and sustained, rapid, warm breathing by wearers and masks become toxic soup pots.
Ignoring applicable science and reason while continuing mandates relegates masking to a mostly symbolic act of compliance and psychological control. Or it provides a false sense of virtue for the masking enthusiast to further divide people. Given the variety and style over substance of masks being sold to or offered to otherwise healthy people would also suggest that masking has become a dogmatic, political, or even cultural fashion statement.
Should we also consider the horrific, hypocritical and ecological footprint of producing and disposing of three-million masks, that may or may not be useful, every minute since masking became a thing?
So much for the hypocrisy of public heath and safety.
Al Neitsch
Windsong
